The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-12-28
II Eapss Into Sewers and Gees Through
Rochester, NY, Ms Lively BATE.
T1plcsitr After Explosion Wrecks Many Of
the Big Fluurirg Nils.
The Ere Which Eu.uss Causes Severe Losses
to the Property Owners.
-Four Persons Believed to Have Been
kined-The Invididual Losses as Far
as ACCOMMODATIONS.

ROCHESTER, n. Y, December 21.-shortly
before half past o'clock this afternoon
terrific explosion occurred in front OF the
Pool flour mill, on Mill street, at the foot
of Factory street. The explosion was felt
for long distance. Only q few seconds
after the first explosion, another followed,
and another and another in rapid success
son. Instantly flames burst from the Pool
mill and the rear walls fell in. The ire
burned with great fury, and although the
workmen FASTENED to get out, it is feared
some must have persisted in the flames. Ii
was only few minutes before the Wash
ipgton mill, adjoining the burning struct-
uIe, was also on fire, and thence the flames
communicated to other buildings. One of
The vorkmen Jumped from the third story
of the Pool mill and is seriously I'M ured.
Another escaped by jumping into the race.
The cause of the explosion was sewers in
the vicinity which were filled with naptha,
To day 1900 gallons of naptha were
pumped from the vacuum oil works
through the pipe line in the bed of the old
canal. Ii was intended for the Municipal
Gas Company, but one or more breaks in
the line allowed naptha to escape into the
adjoining sewers. When the sewers be
came surcharged with the gas ii escaped
into the mills and exploded there or else
where, and the FIRE made its way through
Lie III luc VI buC obACCboi
throwing out the man-hole covers and tear
ing up the roadways- In the vicinity of
the FIRE and up Mill and State streets as far
as Market street. a distance OF about three
quarters of q mile, people were running in
every direction, and frequent explosions
terrified them the more.
The exploiopss continued at such fire.
quent intervals for the first half hour that
the people were deferred from getting any
- he fra Wnpodn
were running around crying and scream
ing, thinking their brothers, husbands or
other relatives were in the mill and bad
been burned. 1t is not known how many
persons were at work or how many es-
capped.
One man jumped from q second story
window Of one of the buildings to tire river
bank below, distance of fifty ieet. His
right leg was broken and he received severe
internal injuries. The walls of the Jetfer
son mill fell in about o'clock, and il is
feared there are several men buried Under
them. The engineer of the Clinton mill
and two companions were standing near the
front of the mill when the explosion &C.
CURED. They retained sufficient presence
of mind 10 shut of the the steam and get
out OF the mill. There were six persons st
work in the Clinton mill, four OF whom
escaped through the water wheel.
At the time of writing, 11:30 p. m, the
fire is under control. The explosions
ceased about half past 6, and no more
danger is apprehended from them. The
explosions covered a wide extent of terri
Plat, State, West, Main, fremont, Smith,
Jay, Furnace, Factory, Brown and many
other streets were blown off by the force of
the explosions, and a great deal OF the paw
ing around them was torn up. Windows
were shattered in many buildings in the
vicinity, and the shock was felt over
large area. The tunnel through which the
burning nsptha flowed for several hours
is the largest sewer in the city, and is the
outlet for the sewers on the west side.
How badly damaged this is cannot be esLi-
mated. The fire must have extended
distance of several hundred feet in the
sewer. The killed, so far as known, are {:
Fred Wilson and f. a. Webster. John
Lee, an tmploye at the Peoples mill
has not been accounted for and it is
thought that he is dead in the ruins.
The aggregate damage is hard to esli-
mate. The following individual losses are
known: Washington Mill and contents,
$4,000; insurance $35, 900; Jefferson Mill
and contents, 100000; insurance SIS, 900;
Clinton Mill and contents, $75, 600; insur-
ance 10000. AT this writing (midnight)
it is believed that four persons are killed.
Those are frederick Wilson, Edward A.
Webster, Abram Rogers and John Lee.
The last named is missing and is supposed
was burned to death in the Clinton Mill.
Rogers was a millwright and
was Injured by falling walls.
He was taken home and died tonight.
Young Wilton was a part owner IN the
Shawmut mills, and was killed by flying
stone. Edward a. Webster was looking
at a msn-hole from which the explosions
were coming, when the explosion in the
Jefferson mill happened, burying him in
the falling walls. He was picked up with
leg and arm broken and internal Diuries
He was taken TO the city hospital, where
he died this evening. The injured will
number at least 20. Most OF them are
bruised and cut by stones.